Sea to Summit Comfort Plus Insulated Review

The Comfort Plus Insulated is the only sleeping pad we tested that utilizes two entirely separate air chambers with separate inflation valves. This design does several things to boost comfort and durability. Pressure in one chamber doesn't cause a bounce in the other, and springing a leak in one is trivial as there is always a backup.

Performance Comparison

Comfort

If you're going to haul extra weight around on your back, it should be for a good reason. The Comfort Plus is an excellent reason to shoulder a bit more weight, as the dual air chambers and "Air Sprung Cells" lived up to their hype. Our testers noted nearly no pressure points common with other sleeping pads, as well as a great balance of breathability and warmth from below.

Why two air chambers? At first, this seemed a bit gimmicky as it is rare that our inflatable sleeping pads leak. However, after our extensive testing period, it became apparent why Sea to Summit utilized this design. The annoying bounce often created when shifting around on a sleeping pad was almost eliminated with this design. While our gear testers don't quite understand the physics behind it, the result is a bounce-free sleep.

While we found the elliptical size and shape of the regular size Comfort Plus to be more than adequate for our 5'11", 175-pound gear tester, there are options for smaller or larger pads and even a rectangular pad if you don't mind sacrificing a bit more weight for the extra wiggle room.

Weight

Sometimes, innovation and build construction come at a price, and in the case of the Comfort Plus Insulated, that price is a high weight penalty. For as much love as we lavished on this pad, it's hard not to acknowledge the nearly two-pound Achilles' heel. If you're trying to parse down your kit for the maximum performance-to-weight ratio, this pad is a far less attractive option than others.

The Comfort Plus is so much heavier than other pads that ditching it could afford you the weight of an entire ultralight shelter or a warmer backpacking sleeping bag. You could shave an ounce by forgoing the stuff sack with an integrated pump sack if you don't mind blowing your pad up the old-fashioned way, but that still won't make this pad light. Some will value the dual-chamber redundancy of this pad enough to justify the weight penalty, but supplementing a lightweight pad with a foam one will net you around 26 ounces with the advantage of being more versatile and more durable overall. It all depends on your priorities.

Warmth

The greatest thermal inefficiency of air-construction sleeping pads is the convection of moving air within the pad itself. Any movement (even breathing) causes warm air near your body to mix with cold air near the ground. The dual air chambers of the Comfort Plus, along with synthetic insulation, reduce this convective heat loss by keeping the warmer air trapped next to you. A reflective barrier prevents radiative heat loss.

The Comfort Plus retains a significant amount of heat without being ultra-thick or bulky. Throughout our testing, we marveled at the warmth/comfort ratio found while using this pad. An R-value of 4 makes this pad close to the top tier of warmth in sleeping pads we tested. That said, while the Comfort Plus was warm, it was significantly heavier and a bit less warm than our top-scoring option.

Packed Size

The Comfort Plus Insulated does not pack down to a very small size, but it is definitely small enough for backpacking. Considering the warmth and comfort this pad provides, we consider it to be plenty packable.

The Comfort Plus packs into a stuff sack that is also an inflation bag. Though this adds some extra bulk, the convenience is worth the extra fraction of a liter that this adds. This bag actually saves a little space compared to the separate inflation bag that comes with most other sleeping pads.

Quality of Construction

The Comfort Plus Insulated is a very well-made sleeping pad, and we wouldn't hesitate to take it anywhere. It's made with 40-denier nylon, which is thick enough to use directly on the ground. Throughout our testing, we intentionally slept on the ground and used the pad as a chair/couch around camp. Our far-from-gentle treatment revealed this pad's excellent durability. The outer fabric feels burly and ready for years of use and abuse.

We also awarded the Comfort Plus more durability points because of its dual-chamber design. Those who gravitate toward mountaineering, prickly desert environments, or extended trips in the backcountry will have peace of mind thanks to the redundant air chamber that'll get you through the night without having to use the included patch kit in the morning.

The Comfort Plus Insulated has our favorite valve system of any sleeping pad. The one-way valve fitted atop a large deflation valve makes inflation, fine adjustments, and deflation super easy, and the valves work so well that all of it is easy even when you're lying on the pad. Ten breaths on the bottom section and five on top gave us the perfect balance of rigidity and plushness.

Should You Buy the Sea to Summit Comfort Plus Insulated?

The hefty price tag of the Comfort Plus Insulated is balanced against an excellent set of features and progressive design. In many ways, this pad is the Mercedes Benz of backcountry sleeping pads. You get many great features, and the build quality is high, but it costs a lot and isn't made strictly with weight savings in mind. We would recommend this sleeping pad to all but the crustiest weight weenies out there, knowing that a good night's sleep can make or break a backpacking trip. Buy this pad if you value comfort, convenience, and novel features over maximum performance per ounce.

What Other Sleeping Pads Should You Consider?